Private Sale Price vs Specialist Price

Piers · 26 Feb 2006

Clearly there is a difference in price between a private sale and a car from, lets say Paragon. However, how much is the margin and how much is likely to be warranty, service, inspection, MOT etc. I'm trying to contrast my worry of buying privately with the extra cost of buying from a specialist dealer.

Any ideas, advice etc?

LoFi

Migration info. Legacy thread was 46981

Rodders · 26 Feb 2006

if you are looking at buying privately,the main thing other than getting it HPi'd is to get it inspected at an OPC then you can use that as a bargaining tool as well as finding out if its a sound buy or a potential timebomb.............

Migration info. Legacy thread was 46984

911Silverback · 26 Feb 2006

IMO buy the private car, but must have FSH and already be under OPC warranty, have a PPI done by someone whos been recomended on this site (use the search facility for this) and you should get a car 10% off dealer price!

But you dont say what 911 your looking for??

...rob

Migration info. Legacy thread was 46986

Peter Bird · 26 Feb 2006

I don't understand how some of these specialist dealers have got the nerve to ask what they do (mind you most car salesmen are thick skinned) Ok you get a warranty, usually Insurance backed and they riggle at every oportunity. What else? Not a lot. I would go the private route every time, but have it checked out THOROUGHLY. Buying from a dealer means you have a choice of vehicles, private means doing some leg work but save yourself 5 grand plus. :lol:

Migration info. Legacy thread was 46987

Piers · 26 Feb 2006

Thanks for the advice guy. I'm looking for a early 996. The closest I have found to my ideal spec is at Shirleys and is headed '1998 'S' Porsche 911 (996) Carrera 2 Coupe Six Speed Manaual' (their spelling!) on their site http://www.shirleys-garage.co.uk/carsforsale.html

In fact this is eceptionally close to the spec I'm after.

Interested that I should look for a private car already under OPC warranty. If it is I guess I should get it inspected by an independent? If it is not should I get an independent inspection first and then once brought an OPC inspection and warranty?

Also, is it the general concensus thatspecialist dealer warranties are not worth the paper they are written on? In the case of some dealers it would mean a long trip for any warranty work as I guess this could not just be done by anyone?

Have to say the potnetial savings sound great but I've never brought a car privately before and it fills me with dread to do it for the first time with a 911, costing more than I've ever spent before on a vehicle :?

THanks again guys

LoFi

Migration info. Legacy thread was 46989

Hendo · 26 Feb 2006

Hi Piers

If you're looking at a 1998 car then I'd be less concerned about Official Porsche extended warranty as this can only be obtained on cars up to 9 years old or 125k miles. As a 1998 car will be 8 this year, you'll have barely over a year of comfort. Its good to know that someone else has done this though as it would have had the 111 point check each year if it wasnt being serviced at OPC. Go privately and have a PPI from an independant source. It'll be as good a bargaining chip as any and it'll help you get a good condition car. Most folks here are of the opinion that after market warranties arent worth it, and some even feel that Porsche's warranties are'nt either.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47003

Lee Bollom · 27 Feb 2006

i'm in the process of buying privately, the route i'm going down is:-

My own look over all the Documents/ and check of the car

HPI check

OPC 111 check and 12 month warranty

this should tell you all you need to know, plus a general feeling for whether the car you're looking at is the one for you.

I've found a 98 Carrera 2 in silver with blue leather and GT3 wheels with 25000 miles on it for £25,100 privately. The car is a Japan RHD import and hence the low price. A good UK car will probably be around 60-75k miles for this price.

Have a look at my posts over the past couple of weeks, I've been researching getting a carrera 2 for about a month or so and learnt a lot off this forum.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47074

Piers · 27 Feb 2006

Thanks for all the input, very helpful and as Lee says I'm learning all the time. I didn't realise the OPC warranty was limited to 9 years. I guess when buying privately inspection is the last thing to do. Is it expected that a deposit is paid subject to out come of inspection? Any comments from anyone else on Lee's buying route?

LoFi

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47172

mark pearce · 27 Feb 2006

Previous poster said:
Quote: Originally posted by Peter Bird on 26 February 2006

I don't understand how some of these specialist dealers have got the nerve to ask what they do (mind you most car salesmen are thick skinned) Ok you get a warranty, usually Insurance backed and they riggle at every oportunity. What else? Not a lot. I would go the private route every time, but have it checked out THOROUGHLY. Buying from a dealer means you have a choice of vehicles, private means doing some leg work but save yourself 5 grand plus. :lol:

Having all my cars main dealer serviced, if its a 993 and needs £6K spent on it, its spent on itthe stone chips and alloy wheel scuffs attended to

Zymoled Using Vintage Wax

A Porsche main dealer warranty if under 9 years old

After all that I think i'm entitled to try and earn an honest living

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47173

Peter Bird · 27 Feb 2006

Mark
I did say SOME of the specialist dealers, it is you that has decided to include yourself in that bracket. Also not all dealers are as conscientios as you portray to be.
Peter

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47196

Piers · 28 Feb 2006

Mark,

I agree everyone should earn an honest living. as you will have read I'm still in my comfort zone with dealers. Maybe for balance you could set out the advantages of using a dealer against the potential lower price of a private sale?

LoFi

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47342

mark pearce · 28 Feb 2006

OK I think i'm a perfectionist and i suspect i try to hard

my philosophies are

Your buying a dream, not a 6/10 year old car, your dream doesnt include stone chips, scuffed wheels, etc, so i rectify these so that i try and full fill your dream

You'll spend the last penny you have on your dram car, thats probably more than you budgeted for,

So as you probably cant afford to put the car right in 3 months time

Its my feelings and most other car dealers will call me a prat, your buying a second hand car not a new one, you cant expect a new car car thats 4 years old, but where do you draw the line, if the brake pads are good for another 3000 miles, should i change them now or let you do it and you get a £1200 bill, you change the rms on a 996 and the clutch is 70% worn good for say 9 months do you spend £350 on a clutch or not?

I dont make money on most 993's but my customers seem happy and i can sleep at night.

Its my philosophy, it works for me, but its not the way to make money,

I recently sold a car it wasnt the cheapest in the market, i wont name models or details, but it had a £6000 main dealer service, new clutch, discs, tyres, wishbones, oil leaks cured, now the next service or even the next 2 the new owner probably will spend very little because the main 993 weakness's have been sorted,

would you rather pay £30K for a car with the re assurance that its properly prepared, or spend £25K for the car privately, perhaps get a £500 or even a £1000 chip and then get the work done your self, service, paint work, tyres, valet, alloy wheel scuffs

Sometimes i feel i'm restoring cars , not servicing them, but i get the impression that people like specialist cars of malton and paragon do a similar job, with 911 virgin he gives you the option

That my view and opinion

I live in cornwall, most of my customers never come here i deliver, i dont take deposits unseen, but i've driven a car back from someone whos not wanted it, so perhaps i'm doing something right

The choice is allways yours private sale or dealer,

BUT allways get the car inspected is my advice before you part with your hard earned

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47349

Tiptronic · 28 Feb 2006

Excellent philosophy Mark,

Seing what you have written, makes it clear perhaps why you are so succesful, care and time and offering the dream,

ticks all the boxes.

I come to Cornwall now and again, I might pop in on you next time I am down, you sound the sort of person who cares more about the cars and the customer as you do about profit.

Darren

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47354

Peter Bird · 28 Feb 2006

Mark,
I am sorry for harping on about this. You are obviously a nice guy and according to your curry mates, honest reliable etc etc BUT car dealers do not sell cars without profit so they can sleep at night. The only cars sold at breakeven or a loss are part exchanges and thats because the profit was in the sold car.
When you buy a car its valued on how it stands the investment to put it right and finally your mark up.
In your defence you have overheads rates Insurance wages etc and this has to be built in, but at the end of the year you have to be in a profitable position.
As I said before SOME dealers think because they are selling fancy sports cars all their customers have pots of money and they take the mickey with prices.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47370

Seagull · 28 Feb 2006

Mark, I admire your ethics and your philosophy. As a small business, you have to rely on word of mouth and reputation and years of hard work can be undone by one dissatisfied customer. Keep it up, I know where my first port of call will be next time I'm looking.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 47378

Private Sale Price vs Specialist Price

Piers

New member

Rodders

Magny-Cours

911Silverback

Nurburgring

Peter Bird

Monza

Piers

New member

Hendo

Suzuka

Lee Bollom

Monza

Piers

New member

mark pearce

Singapore

Peter Bird

Monza

Piers

New member

mark pearce

Singapore

Tiptronic

Banned

Peter Bird

Monza

Seagull

Estoril

Similar threads

Latest posts

New Threads

Porsche Model Range

Porsche 911

Porsche Hypercars

Other Current Porsche Model

Porsche Legacy Models

Forum statistics